MTD 130-400A User manual

ASSEMBLY
OPERATION
MAINTENANCE
PARTS LIST
IMPORTANT:
Read Safety Rules
and Instructions
MODEL NUMBERS
130-400A
130-400-300
26 "
RIDING
MOWERS
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FORM NO. 770-0103

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LIMITED WARRANTY
For one year from the date of original retail purchase, MTD PRODUCTS INC will either
repair or replace, at its option, free of charge, F.O.B. factory or authorized service firm,
any part or parts found to be defective in material or workmanship. Transportation charges
for any parts submitted for replacement under this warranty must be paid by the purchaser
unless such return is requested by MTD PRODUCTS INC.
This warranty will not apply to any part which has become inoperative due to misuse,
excessive use, accident, neglect, improper maintenance, alterations, or unless the unit
has been operated and maintained in accordance with the instructions furnished. This
warranty does not apply to the engine, motor, battery, battery charger or component parts
thereof. Please refer to the applicable manufacturer’s warranty on these items.
This warranty will not apply where the unit has been used commercially.
Warranty service is available through your local authorized service dealer or distributor. If
you do not know the dealer or distributor in your area, please write to the Customer Service
Department of MTD.
The return of a complete unit will not be accepted by the factory unless prior written
permission has been extended by MTD.
This warrany gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights which vary
from state to state.
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I WARNING ^
TO PURCHASERS
OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EQUIPPED
MACHINERY OR DEVICES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
The equipment which you have just purchased does not have a spark arrester. If this equipment is used on
any forest covered land, brush covered land, or grass covered unimproved land in the State of California,
before using on such land, the California law requires that a spark arrester be provided. In addition, spark
arrester is required by law to be in effective working order. The spark arrester must be attached to the
exhaust system and comply with Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code.
2

■ ^IMPORTANT
It is suggested that this manual be read in its entirety before attempting to assemble or operate. Keep this
manual in a safe place for future reference and for ordering replacement parts.
This unit is shipped WITHOUT GASOLINE or OIL. After assembly, see operating section of this manual for
proper fuel and amount.
This unit is a precision piece of power equipment, not a plaything. Therefore exercise extreme caution at
all times.
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES FOR RIDING VEHICLES
1. Know the controls and how to stop quickly—
READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL.
2. Do not allow children to operate vehicle. Do
not allow adults to operate it without proper
instruction. Only persons well acquainted
with these rules of safe operation should be
allowed to use your mower.
3. Do not carry passengers
4. Keep the area of operation clear of all per¬
sons, particularly small children and pets.
Stop engine when they are in the vicinity of
your mower. Although the area of operation
should be completely cleared of foreign ob¬
jects, a small object may have been over¬
looked and could be accidently thrown by the
mower in any direction.
5. Clear work area of objects which might be
picked up and thrown by the mower in any
direction.
6. Disengage all attachment clutches and shift
into neutral before attempting to start engine.
7. Disengage power to attachment(s) and stop
engine before leaving operating position.
8. Disengage power to attachment(s) and stop
engine before making any repairs or ad¬
justments. Disconnect the spark plug wire
and keep the wire away from the plug to pre¬
vent accidental starting.
9. Before attempting to unclog the mower or
discharge chute, stop the engine and be sure
the blade(s) have stopped completely. Discon¬
nect the spark plug wire and keep the wire
away from the plug to prevent accidental start¬
ing.
10. Disengage power to attachment(s) when
transporting or not in use.
11. Take all possible precautions when leaving
vehicle unattended such as disengaging
power-take-off, lowering attachments, shift¬
ing into neutral, setting parking brake, stop¬
ping engine and removing key.
12. Do not stop or start suddenly when going
uphill or downhill. Mow up and down face of
steep slopes; never across the face.
13. Reduce speed on slopes and in sharp turns to
prevent tipping or loss of control. Exercise ex¬
treme caution when changing direction on
slopes.
14. Stay alert for holes in terrain and other hidden
hazards.
15. Use care when pulling loads or using heavy
equipment.
A. Use only approved drawbar hitch points.
B. Limit loads to those you can safely control.
C. Do not turn sharply. Use care when back- g
ing.
D. U se counterweight(s) or wheel weights
when suggested in owner’s manual.
16. Watch out for traffic when crossing or near
roadways.
17. When using any attachments, neverdirect dis¬
charge of material toward bystanders nor
allow anyone near vehicle while in operation.
18. Handle gasoline with care. It is highly flam¬
mable.
A. Use approved gasoline container.
B. Never remove cap or add gasoline to a run¬
ning or hot engine or fill fuel tank indoors.
Wipe up spilled gasoline.
C. Open doors if engine is run in garage. Ex¬
haust fumes are dangerous. Do not run
engine indoors.
19. Keep the vehicle and attachments in good
operating condition, and keep safety devices
in place. Use guards as instructed in owner’s
manual.
20. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be
sure the equipment is in safe working condi¬
tion.
21. Never store the equipment with gasoline in
the tank inside a building where fumes may
reach an open flame or spark. Allow engine to
cool before storing in any enclosure.
22. To reduce fire hazard, keep engine free of
grass, leaves or excessive grease.
23. The vehicle and attachments should be stop¬
ped and inspected for damage after striking a
foreign object. The damage should be
repaired before restarting and operating the
equipment.
24. Do not change the engine governor settings
or overspeed the sngine.
25. When using the vehicle with mower, proceed
as follows:
(1) Mow only in daylight or in good artificial
light.
(2) Never make a cutting height adjustment
while engine is running if operator must
dismount to do so.
(3) Shut the engine off and wait until the
blade comes to a complete stop before
removing the grass catcher.
(4) Check blade mounting bolts for proper
tightness at frequent intervals.
26. Check grass catcher bags frequently for wear
or deterioration. For safety protection, replace
only with new bag meeting original equipment
specifications.
27. Look behind to make sure the area is clear
before placing the transmission in reverse
and backing up.

1
INDEX
Limited Warranty. 2
Safe Operation Practices.3
Assembly Instructions.5
Controls. ^
Operating Instructions.9
Maintenance and Adjustments.10
Beit Removal.12
Lubrication. 1 4
Storage.14
Trouble Shooting Chart.15
Electrical Diagram.16
Exploded View of Transmission..17
Repair Parts for Mower. 1 8 -23
Exploded View of Differential.24
Parts Information.Back Cover
GRASS CATCHER Model No. 190-015A is avail¬
able as optional equipment for the mowers shown
in this manual.
I WARNING {
The mower should not be operated
without the entire grass catcher or
chute deflector in place.
Under normal usage bag material is
subject to wear, and should be
checked periodically. Be sure any
replacement bag complies with the
mower manufacturer’s recommen¬
dations.
For replacement bags, use only fac¬
tory authorized replacement bag
No. 764-0121.
IMPORTANT
After striking a foreign object, stop
the engine. Remove wire from spark
plug, thoroughly inspect the mower
for any damage, and repair the dam¬
age before restarting and operating
the mower.
4

steering Wheel
Cover
Steering Wheel Cap
'Hex Nut
'Belleville Washer
Steering Tube
Assembly
Hex Screw
Hex Nut
Steering Shaft Assembly
Speed Nut
Flat Washer
Upper Hex Bearing
Lower Hex Bearing
FIGURE 1. STEERING ASSEMBLY
ASSEMBLY
INSTRUCTIONS
Reference to right-hand or left-hand
side of machine is from the driver’s
seat facing forward.
STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY (See figures 1, 2
and 3)
NOTE
Due to vibration during shipment, it
is possible that the steering shaft
on your unit may have dropped to a
position where alignment of parts is
difficult. This must be kept in mind
during the assembly operation.
1. C heck the upper and lower hex bearings. Be
sure they are seated and in position. See
figure 1.
2. P lace your hand under the front of the unit.
Push up on the steering shaft assembly.
3. Hold up the shaft assembly. Place the steer¬
ing tube assembly on the shaft and start the
_ hex screw through the hole. See figure 2.
4. Fasten the tubihg assembly to the steering
shaft assembly with hex screw and hex nut
provided.
FIGURE 2. STEERING TUBE ASSEMBLY
5. Place two speed nuts on support bracket as
shown in figure 3.
6. Place the cover over the steering tube assem¬
bly. Line up holes in cover with speed nuts.
See figure 3.
FIGURE 3.
5

7. Secure cover to support bracket with two
truss machine screws provided. See figure 4.
FIGURE 4.
Belleyllle
FIGURE 5. STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY
8. Piace the steering wheel on the tubing
assembly and fasten with belleville washer
and hex nut. See figure 5.
_ 9. Again, it may be necessary to raise the steer¬
ing shaft assembly in order to put the hex nut
on.
10. Place the steering wheel cap on by hand. See
figure 5.
SEAT ASSEMBLY
To secure seat to cover assembly, line up the four
holes in bottom of seat with four corresponding
holes in cover. Then insert four hex screws V4-20 x
V 2 ' ' long up through holes, tightening with an ad¬
justable wrench.

TIRE PRESSURE
FOR SHIPPING PURPOSES, THE TIRES ON YOUR
UNIT MAY BE OVER-INFLATED. TIRE PRESSURE
SHOULD BE REDUCED BEFORE UNIT IS PUT IN¬
TO OPERATION. PRESSURE SHOULD BE AP¬
PROXIMATELY 15 P.S.I. EQUAL TIRE PRESSURE
SHOULD BE MAINTAINED ON ALL TIRES. MAX¬
IMUM TIRE PRESSURE IS 30 P.S.I.
A
CAUTION
Installation of tire to rim:
1. Lubricate tire beads and rim
flanges.
2. Do not exceed 30 P.S.I. when
seating beads.
3. Adjust to recommended pres¬
sure after beads are sealed.
FIGURE 6. CONTROLS
CONTROLS (See figures 6 and 9)
This manual should be read in its entirety before
you operate your riding mower. The more you
know and understand about the machine and its
operation, the better job it will do for you. While
reading the manual, compare the illustrations with
your mower to familiarize yourself with the loca¬
tions of various controls, lubrication points, at¬
tachments and adjustment features.
Study the operating instructions and safety
precautions thoroughly to insure proper function¬
ing of your mower and to prevent injury to yourself
and others. Be sure to save this manual for future
reference.
THROTTLE CONTROL
The throttle control is used to regulate the engine
speed and to activate the choke on the engine. To
get the maximum efficiency on cutting, the throt¬
tle should be in the “FAST” position when operat¬
ing the mower. Pushing the throttle all the way for¬
ward, past “FAST”, will choke the engine.
IGNITION KEY
Recoil Model. The key must be turned to the “ON”
position before the recoil handle is pulled to start
the engine. Turn the key to the left (to the “OFF”
position) to stop the engine. Remove the key when
the mower is not in use.
LIFT AND DISENGAGEMENT LEVER
The lift and disengagement lever is used to raise
and lower the cutting deck, set the cutting height,
and disengage the cutting blades.
Move the lever to the right and move the lever all
the way back and lock it to disengage the blades.
The lever may be set in any one of the five cutting
height positions.
INTERLOCKS (Not Shown)
An interlock safety switch is located on the clutch
pedal and the lift and disengagement lever. The
clutch pedal must be depressed and locked.
The lift and disengagement lever must be in the
“STOP” position (all the way back) before the
engine can be started. Failure to follow these in¬
structions will prevent starting.
7

Ignition
GEAR SHIFT LEVER
The gear shift lever has three positions, “FOR¬
WARD”, “NEUTRAL” and “REVERSE.” The clutch
pedal must be depressed and the riding mower
must not be moving when shifting gears. Do not
force the shift lever. Release the clutch pedal
slightly to line up the shifting collar in the
transmission. Then try to shift gears.
BRAKE
To operate the brake, depress the right pedal all
the way. To lock the brake in park position,
depress the right pedal all the way and lift the
brake lock. Pedal will stay in the depressed posi¬
tion. To release the parking brake, depress the
pedal.
Hood Release
The clutch pedal is located on the left side. When pggoji start
depressed, it disengages the engine from the „
transmission. It can be held in the disengaged Brake Lock
position by lifting the clutch lock. To stop the
Brake Pedal
FIGURE 8. CLUTCH PEDAL LOCK
Lift Disengagement
Lever
/
Gear Shift Lever
Steering Wheel
FIGURE 7. BRAKE PEDAL LOCK
CLUTCH PEDAL
Jhrottle Control
Clutch Lock
X,^CIutch
il
mower, depress the clutch and brake pedals. See
figure 8.
FIGURE 9. CONTROLS
8

OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION
1. KEEP ALL SHIELDS & GUARDS IN PLACE
2. BEFORE LEAVING OPERATOR’S POSITION:
SHIFT CONTROLS INTO NEUTRAL
SET PARKING BRAKE
DISENGAGE ATTACHMENT DRIVE
SHUT ENGINE OFF
REMOVE IGNITION KEY
3. WAIT FOR ALL MOVEMENT TO STOP BEFORE
SERVICING MACHINE
4. KEEP PEOPLE & PETS A SAFE DISTANCE
AWAY FROM MACHINE
CAUTION
DO NOT OPERATE
MOWER UNLESS
GUARD OR ENTIRE
GRASS CATCHER IS
IN ITS PROPER PLACE.
CAUTION
Parking brake must be disengaged
before unit is put into motion.
Unit is equipped with separate
brake and clutch pedals. To effi¬
ciently stop, is necessary to dis¬
engage the clutch when applying
the brakes.
STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Be sure the crankcase is filled with oil as
recommended in the engine manual and put
regular gasoline in the gasoline tank.
2. Attach the wire to the spark plug.
3. Depress the clutch pedal and lock it down.
4. Move the lift and disengagement lever back to
the disengaged position and lock it.
5. Set the throttle control lever in the “CHOKE”
position.
6. T urn the ignition key to the “ON” position.
Twist the recoil starter handle until it is free
and pull it with a quick steady motion. After
the engine starts, return the recoil starter han¬
dle. Twist it until it locks. See figures 10 and
11 .
NOTE
If these instructions are not fol¬
lowed, the engine will stop running
when the clutch or blades are en¬
gaged.
Recoil Handle
Bosition
FIGURE 10. RECOIL HANDLE
FIGURE 11. RECOIL HANDLE
9

I
Slowly return the throttle to the running position
as soon as the engine starts.
7. To stop, turn the ignition key to the “OFF”
position. Remove the key when the rider is not
in use.
PUTTING THE RIDING MOWER IN MOTION
1. Advance the throttle control from % to full
throttle to prevent strain on the engine and to
operate the cutting blades.
2. Place the gear shift lever in either the “FOR¬
WARD” or “REVERSE” position.
3. Slowly release the clutch pedal.
4. To stop, depress the clutch and the brake
pedals.
5. The blades can be engaged either while mov¬
ing or while standing still. Move the lift and
disengagement lever forward slowly until the
blades are running.
FIGURE 12. THROTTLE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
^ WARNING {
If any adjustments are made to the
engine while the engine is running
(e.g. carburetor), disengage all
clutches and blades. Keep clear of
all moving parts. Be careful of heat¬
ed surfaces and muffler.
STOPPING
Engine— Turn the ignition key to the left to the
“OFF” position.
Rider— D epress the clutch and brake pedals.
Blades— P ull the lift and disengagement lever all
the way back and lock it.
MAINTENANCE AND
ADJUSTMENTS
THROTTLE CONTROL
To Check Operation:
1. R emove air cleaner.
2. M o ve throttle control lever to “CHOKE” posi¬
tion. The carburetor choke should be closed.
3. M o ve throttle control lever to “STOP” position.
Lever should make good contact with stop
switch.
To Adjust: See figure 12.
Place remote control lever on equipment in
“FAST” (high speed) position.
Lever 0 on carburetor should be just touching
choke arm at D. To adjust, ioosen casing clamp
screw A on blower housing. Move control casing
B forward or backward until correct position is ob¬
tained. Tighten screw A.
Recheck operation of controls after adjustment.
Replace air cleaner.
CARBURETOR ADJUSTMENTS See figure 13.
Minor carburetor adjustment may be required to
compensate for differences in fuel, temperature,
altitude and load.
Initial Adjustment:
Turn needle valve clockwise to close it. Then open
2 turns. This initial adjustment will permit the
engine to be started and warmed up before mak¬
ing final adjustment.
Final Adjustment:
With engine running at normal operating speed
(approximately 3000 RPM without load), turn nee¬
dle valve clockwise until engine starts to lose
speed (lean mixture). Then slowly turn needle
valve counterclockwise past the point of smooth¬
est operation, until engine just begins to run
unevenly. This mixture will give best performance
under load.
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